A Whole Different Pot of Onions
by HaleyBaley
Summary: Based off of the Syfy mini series Alice. As told by The Hatter. I don't own anything! Authors Note: I'm sorry it's taking so long to update but with school, work, ect I've been busyy. But I will finish it, I promise. Haha.
1. A Very Wet Dress

I never thought I'd live to meet "Alice of Legend," nor did I think that I'd fall in love, and yet, here she was. Standing in my tea shop. Shivering, in a very, wet dress.

ooO0Ooo

Besides this beautiful creature is a ratty looking old man. And excited smile covered his face, but not even his stench of rotting cheese can draw my attention from Her stunning figure. Her piercing blue eyes draw me in like a child to a beautifully wrapped gift…

The old man cleares his throat.

"She says she's Alice… It's Alice of Legend." He repeats himself. Irritation edges his voice.

"She couldn't be…" I think out loud as I slowly start to circle her, " That was over 150 years ago. Oysters don't live that long." My eyes rest on her dress… rather, her _in _the dress… The way the wet fabric clings to her skin…

This time, Alice clears her throat.

I pull my eyes away from her.

"_Shit_" I think to myself "_great going hatter. Way to make an ass of yourself in front of a pretty girl."_

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ratty staring at me.

" I still want a good price." he snarls.

" I am not for sale!" Alice interrupts.

I chuckle to myself. She's even more adorable when she's angry…

I walk behind my desk and eye the vials. I reach for the blue bottle, but after a second look at Ratty's eager and hungry eyes, I change my mind. I reach for the pink and spin around on my heels. Ratty is nearly shaking with excitement… poor pathetic Ratty.

"Mmm. Pink nectar. Filled with the thrill of excitement… Fifty oysters were drained of the hullabaloo so you, Ratty, can taste what it feels like to win. Just. Once." My eyes are once again pulled to Alice as she stares in utter confusion. "Warning. Don't take on an empty stomach and only one drop at a time ot it might burst you shriveled little heart… Got it?"

Ratty looks as though he might explode with happiness as he vigorously nods.

"Good. Go." and I nod to the door. He dashes off, cradling his new item. His stench still lingers. I pull my hand to my face and inhale. I grimace as my nose burns. "He _really_ stinks."

Fear spreads over Alice's face. "O-o-oysters d-d-drained?!" she stutters.

"Yes, well, it's the casino…" I fear I've said too much.

"Jack. They must have taken him there. How do I get there?" Determination crosses her brow and fear sinks to my stomach. I walk towards her.

"That's the thing… You don't. Waaay too dangerous. But. I know some people, who know some people, who, know some other people…." As I hover near her, I notice she smells like freshly picked lavender… "its one of the privledges of owning a tea sho-puh." I spin on my heels and head towards my closet. She has her heart set on this man and I must pull myself away…. I search through my closet and find my plum colored jacket and bring it to her as I continue "People that help people like you. People who will help you aaanndd…."

"Jack." She answers with a smile, as a flicker of pain lights in my heart.

"Yes. Jack. Aand, if I scratch their baack…" I nod towards her and hold out the jacket. She just stares at it.

"They'll scratch yours." she continues to stare.

"Yes, yes, a lot of scratching. Now. Take this and cover up before you get sick." I push the jacket further in her direction. She crosses her arms with a shiver, declining my gift.

"You don't trust me?" She looks down, avoiding my question. Defeated, I throw it onto the sofa. "Do you know why they call me the Hatter?" This time, her eyes survey me.

"Because you wear a hat?"

I chuckle. Her oblivion is even cuter than her anger.

"No. Its because I'm always there when they pass the hat." I walk over to the sofa and hold out the jacket again. "Now, if you'll come with me, we shall find your beloved, Jack." her eyes light up yet her folded arms show her disbelief.

"What reason does one need to help a very pretty girl, in a very, wet dress." My eyes again drift to her figure. Whether realization that I was the only one that could help her or perhaps my stares made her uncomfortable, she took the jacket.

As she slides her arms into the sleeves, I note how good she looks in my jacket, before turning towards the door. Hesitantly she follows, and I know that if this girl is really The Alice of Legend, I have just opened a can of worms of adventure.

ooO0Ooo


	2. Heights

o0O0o

As we walk out of my tea shop, I can hear Alice's timid footsteps behind me. The fact that she doesn't trust me brings pain to my heart.

We walk in silence, and I wonder what she's thinking about. I turn my head to look back at her. She's looking down and a half smile covers her face. I follow her gaze to her hand, her left hand. A large ring rests on her finger.

A jolt of pain shoots through my heart. It feels as though I've just been struck with a dagger that has been twisted in my heart. My face grows hot as my pain turns to anger. The bloody bastard gave her a ring.

"What does this mean?" I think to myself. Just dating? Engaged? Married? My face grows hotter as my fists clench.

Maybe he's dead already?… I smile at the thought. If not, I could always kill him myself? My smile broadens as I eye my right hand.

But… If Alice ever found out… With a sigh, I relax my fists. I could never be the cause of that pain for her. Never could I live with that guilt.

I shove open the door and outside light fills the hallway. I hold open the door for her. Alice looks up at me and hesitantly walks through the door. A flicker of a smile lights up her face when our eyes meet. The smile quickly fades as her eyes drift back down to the ring.

That fucking ring. I want to rip it off her finger and throw it into the ocean. Melt it. Something. I just want it gone. Off of her pretty little finger.

Alice gasps as she backs into the wall. My fist clenches, ready to fight off whoever has scared this beautiful girl. I follow her gaze.

She is staring at the edge of the sidewalk. She's hyperventilating. I search frantically for the enemy but to no avail. Panicking, I look to her.

"I-I-I have a thing about heights." she stutters between breaths.

I relax my fists with a chuckle as I walk to the edge of the sidewalk. I peer down. It is a long drop.

When the Queen started the casino, everyone wanted to live in her kingdom. Naturally, the population rose and the cities grew. Our small neighborhoods reached towards the sky and became a combination of ladders and long drops.

I turn to Alice, still pressed against the wall and trembling. I walk towards her, hand outstretched.

"Trust me." I coon, and with slight hesitation, she takes it.

Electricity runs through my veins as my heart starts to race. She timorously

follows behind me, clenching my hand, but not even the loss of circulation in my fingers can ruin the happiness that runs through my veins.

We reach the ladder in which we must descend, and I reluctantly release her hand. I climb down the ladder and wait.

My mind is racing. She's starting to trust me! Maybe we can push this Jack character out of the picture…

She's just, so beautiful. I need her in my life. Maybe I'll go back to her world with her? What do they wear in her world? I wonder if she always wears a dress.

Dress. A pleasant smile covers my face at the word as my male thought process starts to race. Alice, is above me, descending a ladder. In a dress…

"Maybe… just one peek…" I think as my eyes follow the ladder upwards. My eyes stop at her shoes and I advert my gaze down.

"No Hatter. Baaad Hatter." I think to myself as my eyes drift again to the foot of the ladder. No. I wont. If she were to catch me.

Pictures of her plash in my mind. Her blue dress and her red tights.

Tights. She's wearing tights. The memory of this discourages my male instinct with a sigh.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see her on the ladder. She's almost at the bottom.

I walk over to help her down by gingerly placing my hands on her hips.

As soon as both of her feet hit the ground, she pulls away, eying me warily. A hint of anger within her eyes. Her right hand gently strokes the ring.

I look down to avoid her stares and to hide the pain in my eyes. I turn and continue on the sidewalk. She follows, but leaves a bit more distance between us.

"Just when she starts to trust you, you mess it all up" I think to myself.

Maybe I wont go back with her. Maybe the Dodo already has rescued her beloved Jack and they will go back through the Looking Glass together where they will live happily ever after. And I, Hatter, will sit in this hell hole with my teas where I shall rot to my death, alone.

I bite my lip to fight back angry tears.

o0O0o


End file.
